Stress has a terrible habit of showing up when it’s not invited. Stress is there at your desk when you’re behind schedule on a work project. It’s there while you’re crunching numbers, worrying about student loans. Stress even hops in the car to keep you company while you’re stuck in rush hour traffic. Stress is everywhere, and it can have negative affects on your health. That’s why you should always make time to relax, and there’s no better time to relax than National Relaxation Day!
While stress can’t always be avoided, stress can be managed. It’s important that you don’t let stress run your life. Not only does it feel nice to relax, but relaxation can be good for your health. Relaxation can help relieve the mental and physical affects that stress can have on a person.
According to the American Psychological Association the main sources of stress in the United States are money, work, family responsibilities, and health. Money seems to be the biggest cause of stress for Americans, with 72% of adults saying they feel stressed about money at least some of the time. The same survey said that 1 in 5 Americans have skipped or considered skipping an appointment with a physician because they were worried about money.
Skipping an appointment with your doctor is just one of the ways that stress can harm your health. Your primary care physician helps you maintain wellness and stop health problems before they start. If you aren’t meeting with your physician on a regular basis, you’re potentially putting your health at risk. Stress can also lead to serious health problems like hypertension, heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.
But don’t worry! Relax.
Relaxation can help reduce stress symptoms by lowering your blood pressure, slowing your heart rate, reducing muscle tension, improving your mood, and lowering fatigue. August 15th is National Relaxation Day, so take the time tomorrow do whatever it is that you do to relax. Go for a bike ride, play golf, go to the lake, take a nap, or watch a movie. Tomorrow is your day, so make the most of it!
